Soldiers reminded to lead by example

Officers of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) were today reminded of their duties to their country and of the need to exhibit leadership and discipline.

During a promotion ceremony for its enlisted ranks at the BDF’s St Ann’s Fort headquarters, Chief of Staff Colonel Clyde Grannum told members of the Coast Guard and the Barbados Regiment it was important that they continued to demand much of themselves and their peers.

“As a commissioned officer you have been given a special trust for your loyalty, your courage and for your good conduct. We as a unit have been given that special trust and those are more than just words. It’s what we as the officers must live by, it is the essential ingredient by which we lead this force,” he maintained.

“We lead by loyalty to [the] above, to our peers and to our subordinates. We lead by courage to go where it might be difficult, it might be inconvenient to say and to speak and to have moral courage to represent and in all things you lead by good conduct. We have been commissioned to carefully and diligently discharge our duties…”

Grannum reminded the soldiers it was imperative for them to be obedient and to follow orders in carrying out their duties.

“I want to congratulate everybody who has been elevated in rank, I want to more importantly remind everybody that like sands through the hour glass time marches on and that as the sun rises so too must it set.

“And as you continue your career as a servant leader prepare everyday to take up a post of higher responsibility,” Grannum advised. (RB)